


And all the lights that lead us there are blinding

by JaebirdPikeri



Series: Crossing Lines [4]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23051839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaebirdPikeri/pseuds/JaebirdPikeri
Summary: Set two months after the end of Chasing Iron/About three years post Tyrant's TombWRITTEN BEFORE THE RELEASE OF TOWER OF NERO, THEREFORE MAY END UP CONTRADICTING THAT BOOK. UNMARKED SPOILERS WITHIN FOR ANY OTHER RICK RIORDAN BOOK.Four years into their relationship, Nico and Will are beginning to think about how to change it from a teen love affair to an adult relationship... Will has a pretty clear idea of what he wants - if he could just get that across.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: Crossing Lines [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1373128
Comments: 22
Kudos: 92





	1. And I know just what you want, you don't want to be alone (Will's POV)

**Author's Note:**

> This follows on directly from Chasing Iron and although that fic was focussed on Magnus Chase and Alex Fierro, events from it are presumed as known by the reader. For those less interested in the MC characters, you can get the bulk of the Solangelo story by reading chapters 23-26 of Chasing Iron with the background knowledge that Alex and Nico met at a Thansgiving gathering hosted by Percy's mom three months previously and have since been good friends who talk very regularly - and that this fic takes place in the July, when they have been friends for eight months but Alex has been pretty unreachable on a quest in Australia for two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from "What you know" by Two Door Cinema Club

‘Hey Will?’ Austin asked casually, about three months after the wedding of Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson. We were relaxing in our cabin for a quiet afternoon, him composing, me secretly checking out apartment listings.

‘Yeah?’

‘How do you learn to be okay with clingy?’ He gestured to Nico, who was napping with his head in my lap.

I glared at Austin until he held his hands up and went back to what he was doing but the truth is I _was_ starting to worry. For almost three weeks now, Nico had been sticking to me like glue, reluctant to leave even for a few minutes. Honestly, I’m enough like my dad that I was loving the attention but not now that it was obvious he was sticking to me because he’s too unhappy to be alone.

I stroked his hair back from his face, feeling the crustiness of salt on his cheek. He’s so tough people always guess he’s the type who never cries but he won that toughness through endless pain – he cries a _lot_. I could also tell from the way he flinched just a little that at some point he’d woken up.

My anger at my brother swelled. I didn’t need prophecy powers to see where this was going. His flippant comment had ripped at the scar on Nico’s heart, that constant feeling of _nobody actually **wants** me around_. 

‘I love clingy.’ I said out loud, still looking at his beautiful, haunting face. ‘I wish he clung to me more, he’s so independent… Sometimes I wish he’d just let me take him in my arms and take all the crap life throws his way in his stead.’

‘Self-sacrifice is a _bad_ colour on you Will…’ Austin frowned. ‘I mean… You guys have been dating forever. Don’t you think it’s time to move on?’

My cheeks burned. I do want to move on but not the way Austin thinks… I’m just not sure it’s a good time. I mean… We had a _massive_ fight back at the end of January, where it turned out we’d been misunderstanding each other for _years_. Can you believe Nico thought my whole “Doctor’s orders” bit was real, rather than a shameless bid for his attention?!

Either way, I now have a ring hidden in my nightstand that I’m too scared to give.


	2. You're everything I know that makes me believe I'm not alone (Nico's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch

Clingy. _Clingy!_ …I couldn’t even deny it.

I faked waking up once Austin left but from the anxious look on Will’s face he knew I was awake. Austin might be tactless but he was right about two things; I am being clingy and Will does need to break away from the self-sacrifice bit.

‘Morning.’ I tried to sound cheerful.

‘It’s mid afternoon.’ He laughed and caught my hips, pulling me down.

‘I haven’t been sleeping well at night.’ I admitted.

‘I can see that.’ He frowned and kissed the tops of my cheeks, by the bags. ‘Is something on your mind?’

_Big brown eyes, so familiar, so young._

_‘Mama? Who this?’_

_‘Why are you staring at my daughter?!’_

The ground beneath us began to shake. I tried to force myself to keep it together but the panic was spiralling out and worsening the tremors. We were facing zombie explosion any second now and-

_FWEEET!_

The stun whistle startled the memory out of my head for a split second and then I was flat on my back against the mattress, my mouth filled by Will’s tongue, his heat pressing down on top of me, his hands holding me down.

It sounds aggressive but nothing else makes me feel quite that calm. It’s like… I don’t have to think or plan or keep watch anymore. It’s all being taken care of.

I didn’t even notice the tremors subsiding, I just realised that the intense kiss had been replaced by soft light ones around my face.

‘That bad, huh?’ Will rested our foreheads together.

‘I saw Bianca.’ I managed to blurt.

‘Huh? But I thought she left Elysium for re… birth… _Oh._ ’ He paled.

‘Yeah. She’s… about three now. She’s not a demigod. Her new mom cares enough to notice a freak staring at her and chase him off. She… doesn’t know me. At all.’ I kept my focus on the entry points. Crying in front of Will is fine but I don’t want anyone else knowing.

‘You just can’t catch a break, sweetheart.’ Will rolled onto his side and pulled me in.

I curled into him, holding on with both hands. ‘I’m… happy for her… but…’

‘She still left you behind.’ Will huffed. I couldn’t help smiling. Usually he’s the least Apollo-ish demigod in his cabin but certain moods… When he’s annoyed, when he’s jealous and when he’s flirty… He could be his dad incarnate. (The last one is hella weird because it means when Apollo gets flirty, I go all mushy.)

‘You always back me up when I’m being a brat.’ I kiss his cheek.

‘Of course, when you _do_ go supervillain, I want you to spare me.’ He quipped, grinning all over his face. He thinks the idea of me going supervillain is ridiculous even though he was _there_ for all the Daedalus stuff.

‘Sure, when I drop this place into a crater, I’ll spirit you away and keep you as a pet.’ I returned.

‘You’re the one who likes petting.’ He demonstrated his point, sliding his hands into my hair and lightly scratching my scalp. He’s always been _way_ physical. Even before we were dating he thought nothing of holding my hands, or one time hugging me like a teddy bear.

‘I do.’ I agreed, letting my eyes flutter closed and focussing in on the soft sharpness.

‘Keep me company on shift tonight?’ He kissed along my jaw, shamelessly bribing me. I kept quiet for a few more seconds, faking reluctance to get more persuasion before agreeing. ‘Great! I hope Bethan’s managed okay…’

Bethan Hope is the Apollo demigod Will’s training to take over the infirmary if we _do_ leave camp. She’s already 15, so way older than Will was when he had to take over.

‘You don’t need to rush… It’s not like we even know where we’re going.’ I pointed out.

‘We can’t decide until we know how available we need to be.’ He burst out, surprising me a bit. I mean… I’m the one who didn’t want to stay. _Is he pushing himself too hard? Is he scared I’m going to bolt?_

‘I… guess?’

He was off on one now, producing a few newspapers from various states. ‘It’s like… If we want to be involved but independent, we could just live in New York? Or we could go approachable but more detached… A good one for that would be Boston; you’re already close to Alex and I feel like I’d get along with those guys if I knew them better… But there’s also Waystation in Indiana, or we could check out Pensylvania… Or we could go way far out, hit the west coast, be closer to New Rome… Maybe Los Angeles? It’s a seat of power for both our dads and my research suggests that might have health benefits… And there are colleges to consider, and the whole stay away from the bible belt thing – I definitely don’t wanna go back to Texas… Nico?’

I was seriously melting now. ‘Are you actually okay with this? Moving? With me?’

His eyes went all shifty then. ‘More than you realise. Not much is hammered out… I’d like to go somewhere with a good med school though… And I’m not sure what else you want.’

‘I don’t know that… Kind of expected to be dead by now.’ I admitted. ‘It still feels like… if I start banking on a future it will all fall apart…’

Will yanked me into a kiss that made my head spin. ‘Take your time… Think about what you like.’

 _I like you._ I managed _not_ to blurt out that embarrassing little thought and followed him to the infirmary. If I could guarantee my powers wouldn’t go out of control, I could probably be a damn good nurse. I’ve helped here enough times and I have a radar for when someone is approaching death. I don’t exactly _like_ it though… I just like being with Will.

He was busy but didn’t need help today, so I curled up in my favourite chair and started playing on my Switch like usual. I have all of them; PC, X-Box, Playstation but my Switch is easiest to bring into the infirmary with me. I picked a rhythm game because they help me think.

Med school… It’s probably the only thing he’s seriously asked of me for our future and it’s not like I have _anything_ that I care about as much as that. Any good med school will have other courses I could go to so… Maybe I could talk to Annabeth? She’s way into schools and stuff, she’d know where the good ones are and then we could pick one… Or just apply and pick based on where we both get in.

_What if you don’t?_

The little voice hadn’t spoken up in a while… I wasn’t going to listen.

_Or maybe he wants to find out where you plan to go so he can leave you behind._

I gripped the console tighter. That voice always sounds like Cupid. I can’t tell if that’s just my stupid mind playing tricks on me or if a Roman love god really _is_ telling me my love is doomed.

Maybe I was letting off a death aura or something, because Will came over to check on me. ‘Okay down there?’ He perched on a nearby cabinet to wrap me up in a hug.

I pressed my face into him, soaking up his warmth and his smell while I still could. ‘Just… being grateful for what I’ve got.’

Will’s arms tightened around me, as though he could hear the fear under the positive words I’d picked on purpose. ‘You don’t need to be grateful for something you deserve.’ He whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

 _I am though. I’ll be in your debt forever._


	3. You know I need you (just like you need me) [Will's POV]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "I must be dreaming" by The Maine

Naturally, as the summer geared up, the time I could spend planning disappeared. Even with Beth helping out, we started to get run off our feet with usual camp injuries and a measles outbreak. (Imagine: surviving monster attacks and a godly fate only to find your life at risk because you never got vaccinated.) I stopped heading back to the cabin and started grabbing shut eye where I could, trusting Nico to keep a good nap spot ready.

I got used to waking up pressed against him, usually using him as a mattress/pillow/teddy combo. We often _go_ to sleep together but he’s always had nightmares so I usually wake up to him pulling away in a panic. Dates blurred together until suddenly we were given beads painted with pegasi and camp went quiet.

‘What’re the pegasi about?’ I asked, squinting to make out more details.

‘We held a racing cup with Camp Jupiter.’ Nico explained, frowning.

‘…Must have missed it.’ I forced a laugh.

‘Duh. You missed _everything_.’ He scowled at me. ‘And you say _I_ don’t take care of myself.’

‘People’s lives were at risk!’

‘ _One_ person’s life was at risk, the others just required medical attention!’ Nico sniffed dismissively, folding his arms.

‘Ex-CUSE me?’ Weeks of irritability rose up at once. ‘I think I know what I’m talking about!’

‘Not as well as I do, sunny-boy.’ Nico stuck his tongue out childishly. The sudden swerve broke through my anger and I couldn’t help laughing.

‘Maybe I got a bit obsessed...’ I smirked. ‘Were you lonely with me being all distracted?’

‘How can I be lonely when I’ve been stuck in here helping you?’ He rolled his eyes and turned his head, too slowly to hide his blushes.

‘I’ll make it up to you.’ I promised.

‘I don’t intend to give you a choice.’ He grinned devilishly, sending pleasant tingles right down to my curling toes. ‘I’m just leaving a note so your siblings don’t launch a helicopter search party.’

‘What, are you kidnapping me?’ I quipped.

Nico shouldered a bag he must have prepared while I was all dazed and pulled me into his body. ‘Pretty much.’ He shrugged. There was a lurch at the pit of my stomach, the world went black and then there was a vast, vivid ocean and screeching gulls and Nico panting slightly.

‘Are you crazy?! We _have_ a beach, why would you jump to one?!’ I demanded, dragging him out of the shady lea we’d appeared in and letting the sunshine solidify him.

He flushed again, avoiding my eyes. ‘I just… didn’t want anyone coming to take you. You never tell them “no”… Besides, it’s September, I figured it would be warmer if I went a little south.’

‘…What’s in the bag?’ I demanded, not _quite_ appeased by the romance of being literally whisked away.

The blush spread across Nico’s ears and neck and he hastily squatted to hide it and show me. ‘Towels, swimsuits, picnic, weapons, first aid kit, umbrella… Beach date stuff.’

‘What, no suntan lotion?’ I teased.

He blushed all the more furiously. ‘You don’t need it, I can’t use it… I just put some screen on before I left.’

‘Awww, but _I_ wanted to do that to you.’ I nudged him and looked around. ‘Where do we change?’

Nico looked up and down the stretch of sand. ‘No idea… I’m not sure how far we went.’

‘There’s some rocks over there… We can take it in turns to shield each other.’ I pointed. Already I could feel the heat melting away my fatigue and the excitement sweeping out my stress.

Nico’s usually a bit jumpy about changing in public but he nodded without hesitating and took my hand unprompted. (He’s still slightly concerned about being ‘out’ away from camp. Especially if he sees a priest or a nun.)

As I was pulling on my trunks, I realised they sat just a little loose; earlier this summer, they’d been smug. _What_ have _I been eating lately?_ I tried to recall sitting down for a meal, but I just got vague flashes of Nico appearing at my side with plates and nagging me until I cleared them.

Since Nico was currently standing with his back t me, keeping watch for unsavoury beachgoers, I hugged him from behind, drinking in his unearthly beauty and the unyielding strength in his deceptively delicate frame.

‘ _Will!_ Don’t surprise me like that, I’ll blast you!’ He complained, smiling. 

‘…Okay, your turn. Get ready so we can go swim!’ I hummed various bits of beach music, inexpertly, until Nico gently tapped my arm.

‘I’m ready.’ He struck a cocky pose, trying a little too hard. He’s never quite gotten used to seeing himself in monochrome instead of the rich olives and browns he was born in.

‘Well, now swimming practically seems like a waste.’ I pulled him close. I was just kidding around, although it _has_ been at least a month. What is _wrong_ with me? (I know, I know, demigod ADHD.)

He rolled his eyes. ‘The difference is _that_ can be done later but if we don’t swim now, it will get too cold.’

‘You win.’ I replied on autopilot, processing the implications of “that can be done later.” _Okay. Apparently, he is not punishing me by refusing to put out. And here I thought he was sulking because I haven’t paid attention to him._

Nico stowed the back in between some rocks and dragged me into the ocean. The water really showed the changing seasons, being biting and freezing and _so_ energizing. We didn’t really swim seriously, mostly splashing and paddling until it got too cold and staggering out.

Nico slipped his arm around my waist as we started trudging up the sand. _Again with the brave. Did he self-actualise while I was in measle hell?_

‘Don’t just wrap up in it!’ He scolded, when I pulled the towel round my shoulders and tried to chill on the rocks. ‘You’ll get cold… Here.’ He started drying my hair and back. I could have easily taken over but the attention was fun so I stayed quiet until he shoved some clean jeans, boxers, a t-shirt and a hoodie at me.

‘What, so keen to cover me up?’ I laughed.

He frowned. ‘You’re going to catch a cold. Your lips are really pale, you know?’

‘Then I’ll make you a deal… I’ll put them straight on if you help warm my lips up after.’ I grinned, waiting for him to blush and panic.

He _did_ blush, biting his lip worriedly, but nodded. I almost didn’t figure it out, but he started unpacking the picnic as I dressed: blueberries, bottles of lemon and ginger iced tea, smoked salmon sandwiches, tomato salad, Greek yogurt and oranges. All stuff from my health food books about boosting immune systems.

‘Hey, Nico.’ I tried not to let my voice go too mushy. He peeked up at me through his fringe, eyes brightening when he realised I was dressed and smiling. ‘Get in here.’ I sat down, taking shelter in the rocks, and pulled him into me.

‘Geez, it’s not like I was gonna break my promise-’ He began.

‘Not that… I worried you, didn’t I?’ I rested my forehead against his.

His shattered-glass eyes darted, always shy. ‘Of course you did. You’ve barely kept yourself _alive_ all summer. And nobody seemed to notice except me!’

I felt my face split with a grin. ‘They didn’t have to, silly.’ I chided him gently. ‘You’ve been looking out for me.’

He flushed like the tomatoes in the salad. ‘It doesn’t take a genius to grab a meal for someone when they’re too busy to go or get a bed ready for them when they don’t have time to head to theirs.’

‘Nuh-uh, you take care of me.’ I grinned and kissed his cheeks. ‘That’s why we came so far away… So nobody could stop me relaxing.’

‘Well partly…’ He muttered, looking more embarrassed than ever. ‘I also just wanted you to actually _see_ me. Stupidly workaholic flirt.’

‘Yeah?’ I shifted my weight so I could run my hands over him. ‘Want me to reward you for waiting?’

‘Where did you learn your dirty talk? Weirdo!’ He muttered, body already starting to move to accommodate me.

‘And yet it’s working on you; weirder weirdo.’ I purred, taking full advantage.

And let’s just say that it’s a good thing that picnic was cold to begin with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to clear up a little on Will's ADHD comment, this is specifically the "H" - when a person with ADHD hyperfocuses on something (in this case his duties as camp doctor) beyond all reason or control. I bring this up 1) because it's not a well known symptom of ADHD, most people only know about the inabilty to give focus and 2) because this is based on my interpretation of existing research and if any readers DO have ADHD and feel misrepresented, if I have more explanation than the character would give, they know whether I've simply expressed myself badly or my information is wrong.


	4. I want something just like this (Nico's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from "Something just like this" by Coldplay/The Chainsmokers

By October, a lot of things were back to better. Alex and Magnus were back in America, Percy and Annabeth were back from their super-secret honeymoon, I was getting ready to visit Hazel and most importantly Will had lost his shadowed eyes and filled back out to his normal weight.

‘Nico. Niiico. Nico-nico-ni?’ Will chirped, poking the side of my head.

‘Will you quit quoting that at me?!’ I paused my game and scowled at him.

Will grinned and kissed me. ‘But it always works.’

‘So childish.’

‘So deeply in denial.’

‘What am I denying exactly?!’

‘How much you _luuuurve_ the attention.’ Will grinned and pounced, nuzzling me like a crazy cat.

‘I’d complain about being busy but it’s not like I’ve got much going on… This one sucks, they should have spent more time on the UI and less on the soundtrack; it’s like they made a dish and focused on what plate to serve it on rather than the flavour- _Mmmph…_ ’ As I tried to rant, Will smiled and stole one of my feet, massaging it. I fell against my bed, letting him soothe away the anger.

‘You could always learn how to do it yourself.’ He suggested, humming to himself a little tunelessly.

‘You need a huge team and if I go off…’ I sighed. ‘It’s not really an option.’

‘It’s about something digital, surely you can work remotely if you’re that worried.’ Will pointed out, sneaking a hymn into his hums so before I knew it sunshiney-magic was flowing through me, leaving me dazed.

‘Mmm… I guess I could look into it? It’s hard when we have to limit our net usage so much.’ I mumbled.

‘Talk to Leo; he’s the expert.’ He suggested.

‘You don’t even really play games, you’re surprisingly het up about this.’ I tried to prop myself up.

‘I think you’d like it. I don’t think you’ve ever played a game without an idea of how to improve it.’ Will kissed my ankle before letting it go and swiping my left foot instead.

‘That doesn’t mean I’d be good at making them…’ I felt my face getting all red again, so I let myself fall back down.

‘You’re smart, I think you could get good. The ideas are the part that have to come naturally, the skills can be learned. If there’s one thing you’re not, it’s lazy.’ As Will spoke, I tilted my head to see his face. He was smiling all mushy, making me squirm. ‘Careful! If you kick too suddenly you’re going to strain a muscle!’

‘You’re too lovey-dovey!’

‘Nah, I’m a big ol’ coward.’ Will laughed.

 _What does that mean? Is that his way of trying to tell me he’s not happy but he’s too scared to say?_ The stupid anxious little voice in my head piped up.

 _Shut up. He makes it really obvious he loves me._ I tried to tell it, but it kept pipping away, reminding me of all the other people who were happy to leave me behind.

‘Nico?’ Will’s voice was muffled, which made me realise I’d pressed my hands over my ears like _that_ would block it out.

‘Are you unhappy? Do you wish we were different?’ I blurted before I could stop myself.

He smiled, all sad and tender then, and crawled over to hug me, crushingly tight. ‘Honestly? I’m regretting being so busy this summer. I kind of wanted to be ready to move with you by the end of the year.’

My whole body heated up with embarrassment. ‘C’mon… It’s not _that_ big a deal.’

‘It _is_ that big of a deal. I’m sick of having to sneak around to fall asleep with you. I’m sick of my siblings joking around every time we act mushy in front of them. I’m sick of being reminded by Chiron about ‘appropriate distance’ and having to make excuses to eat with you at meal times. I’m sick of someone wrecking it every time I set up a romantic way to propose! I’m sick of-’

‘WHAT?!’ I wracked my brains, trying to think of _anything_ that could sound like ‘a romantic way to propose’. Maybe he meant _com_ pose? He’s not musically _talented_ but he does love it and composing a love song _would_ be very Will and all…

Will stopped dead, his jaw dropping. An expression I was pretty sure _I’d_ worn a few times but never seen on him spread across his face: embarrassed panic. ‘Oh no. No no no no noooo… Forget that! Forget all about that, I want to do it better! I cannot _believe_ I did that, good job Solace you fucking moron…’

‘Will!’ Since we seemed to be back to front, I did what he’s done for me a million times. I grabbed his face and kissed him to shut up his brain. ‘Yes.’

‘…Yes?’

‘ _Yes!_ ’


	5. No-one told me I was going to find you (Will's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from "At the beginning" by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis

‘I can’t believe I did that.’ I muttered.

Nico cracked open an eye and shot me a glare. He is absurdly cuddly and sleepy afterwards and does not take kindly to being surprised but I _could not help it._

‘I had so many plans. It was supposed to be romantic.’ I whined.

Nico propped himself up on his elbows, looking even more dramatic than usual with his dark hair spilling over pale skin. ‘It _was_ romantic. It wasn’t staged or cheesy, there was no… falseness or forcedness to make me worry it wasn’t real.’ He peeked at me through his lashes, shy and so _so_ vulnerable. ‘It was just you, telling me how you felt. It was perfect.’

I pulled him down, burying my face in his hair. ‘You’re impossible.’

He didn’t answer, just shifting to get more comfortable and relaxing against me.

‘…Still, even if I was going to go simple, I at least could’ve had the _ring_ on me.’ I groaned. ‘It’s not even here, it’s in my cabin, I’d have to leave to go get it.’

‘That’s been bugging me… You rarely leave camp and every time you have lately we’ve been together… How did you manage to get one?’ Nico frowned.

_Ooops. Let’s hope this doesn’t completely destroy the mood…_

‘You remember you took a little… impromptu field trip to Boston, back in January?’ I asked, keeping my voice gentle. Nico’s practically a samurai – stand his ground or die trying – so he’s a bit sensitive about what he sees as him ‘running away’.

‘Yeah…’ He muttered, hanging his head.

‘Do you remember what day you picked, so I wouldn’t notice right away?’ I prompted.

‘Yeah, you were helping out with a supply run in the city, and I ducked out so I could get away…’ His voice trailed off, connecting the dots.

I held him tighter, not wanting him to panic and bolt on me.

‘You… what… how long?’ He babbled, ghostly white with odd red blotches.

_Well. Looks like it’s now or never…_

‘I don’t really know when I first started thinking about it… It wasn’t some big, dramatic transition, it built up over time. I do know it was a little over a year ago that I started saving up… after the whole thing with the Aphrodite cabin and the Hecate cabin making genderswap potions.’

‘You wanted to marry me after seeing me as a _girl_?’ He pulled a face.

‘No, dumbass. I decided to ask you because when we couldn’t reverse mine as easily as everyone else’s, and I thought we were going to have to break up, you kissed me and said you didn’t care if my body changed… You still loved me for who I was.’ I looked sheepish. ‘At the risk of needing the world’s tiniest violin… it can be hard to tell who’s for real if you resemble a god like Apollo or Aphrodite… you have enough surface charm and good looks that people project what they want onto you and attach to you for that… I was already considering marriage so it’s not like I thought you were doing that before… But that was the moment that proved to me you had no illusions. Because if you, who tried harder than anyone _not_ to like boys and had to admit he does, could love me as a girl, essentially going back to the lie you swore never to tell again… It meant you love me as much as I love you.’ I kissed him gently, knowing he wasn’t going to give himself a break for what came after and preparing for that.

‘…And then I got it so wrong that I tried to run away from you the day you bought a ring.’ Nico blanched. ‘Why did you bother chasing me?’

‘Because I know you, Nicky.’ I made him look me in the eyes and smiled. ‘You’re hot-headed, you psych yourself out easy and you always think you need to handle stuff completely alone. You thought you were leaving something callous that would make me think you were a jerk? I just heard you screaming out for help. And I knew I had to answer that, even if it meant leaving without permission and going out of New York completely alone and gambling that I was right about _where_ you were going.’

‘…You really do know me.’ He burrowed down, hiding his face in my chest. I pulled the blankets tighter around him, pretending not to notice that he was trying not to cry.

‘It was easier for me to know you… You were honest with me.’ I held him tight. ‘I thought a lot after that… I thought about _why_ we ended up in a situation where we almost broke up… And I realised a _lot_ of it came from me not being real with you. I was so scared you wouldn’t think I was good enough that I kept hiding behind stupid excuses to be with you… I never saw that was making _you_ feel inadequate.’

‘I liked you more when I realised you weren’t Mr. Perfect and Confident all the time.’ Nico shook his head and wriggled free enough to rest his forehead on mine.

‘See? I should’ve just trusted you… So yeah, after all that… I thought I should wait a while. Make sure we were solid again. And…’ I felt a crimson blush burn up my cheeks but I _did_ promise him honest and that meant honesty about the nasty parts of me too. ‘I kind of wanted to see if… If you wanted to mess up the wedding.’

‘How could I mess up a wedding we weren’t having?’ Nico scrunched up his face. Then it clicked. ‘Wait you mean Percy and Annabeth’s?...’ He collapsed onto his side, laughing from the pit of his stomach. ‘Will, oh Will, my delightfully _dumb_ beloved… No.’ He squirmed back into my arms and kissed me hard. ‘How many more times? I didn’t ‘settle’ for you when I accepted Percy was taken. I realised I was over him, that it was a childhood crush based more on who I wanted to _be_ than who I wanted to be _with_ , and I chose to make a new friend. And I quickly realised that I felt something more complex for that friend than I _ever_ felt for Perseus Jackson and that if I was just brave, that feeling might become real love. _That’s_ why I asked you out.’

‘Delightfully dumb?’ I raised my eyebrows at him.

‘I stand by it.’ He grinned. My beautiful, contrary Nico, strong but easily hurt, brave but skittish, cold in the eyes but warm in the heart, level headed and mature but silly and childish.

‘…I never believed it was possible to love someone as deeply as I love you.’ I whispered.

‘I love you too.’ Nico kissed me tenderly. ‘…Will your pride be hurt if I want to get you one too?’

‘A ring you mean? Go ahead.’ I sat up to stretch, thrilling at the way his eyes snagged appreciatively on the movements. ‘I’d love it if everyone could see on my hand that I’m yours.’

‘I think I’ve made _that_ pretty plain anyway.’ He smirked up at me, resting his head on my thigh.

‘You know… we still haven’t decided where we’re going to live…’ I sighed. ‘It’s going to be a bit ridiculous if we’re _married_ and living with a bunch of teenagers.’

‘Technically, we are teenagers, but on that topic it’s my turn to surprise you.’ Nico hopped out of bed (thank the gods he doesn’t bother putting boxers back on), scrambled over to his chest of drawers and produced a sheaf of brochures. ‘Once Annabeth got back, I consulted with her… There’s basically major medical schools everywhere we were looking and…’ He blushed. ‘I thought about what you said. I’m… I’m going to try studying Game Design. There’s gonna be a ton of boring stuff to get through but… I think something I really like at the other end.’

‘…You looked into all that for me?’ I also got up and padded over to hold him. ‘Go on… Which ones do you like?’

‘Kinda all of them.’ He laughed. ‘It’s okay though… The only part I’m not being flexible on is that I get to go with you.’

A fizz of excitement went through my blood. It felt like my future had blown wide open and the only thing set in stone was the only thing I wasn’t willing to give up. ‘You realise you’re never getting rid of me now, right Nico?’

‘I realised that when you chased me to Boston, Solace.’

‘Gasp!’ I clutched my heart dramatically. ‘Haven’t I even earned first name rights with you yet?’

‘Will.’ Always willing to play up to my drama, he leapt into my arms. ‘Love ya, Blondie.’

‘What did I _just say_ , Nicky?!’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up being shorter and messier than I usually write, but I really loved doing it. These two are so fricken' cute and it's going to to kill me if one of them dies in Tower of Nero, so this is also kinda like my prayer for their happy future XD To anyone who read all this, thank you very much.


End file.
